“No one can do this for you, and you can't do this alone, though you can do this with help"
Benjamin Fishbein, MA, LPC
About Me
I grew up in Alabama on the Gulf Coast and had the pleasure to be obsessed with the water and fishing. I tend towards introversion and some of my most enjoyable moments were spent near, on, or in the water of my favorite estuary. I was either fishing, reading, in deep discussion, or simply being a teenager with my close group of friends. I began to realize at an early age that these experiences can be remarkably healing. I draw inspiration for my work from observing and being in nature.
Have you ever noticed that almost any issue is easier to work through while walking on the beach or being near water? There is a sort of effortless mindfulness that washes over you. Nothing about your circumstances changed but, when you went to the water, it was easier, right? Going to counseling similarly helps us work through life’s difficulties.
When my life was turned upside down by a sudden loss, I knew that I needed to spend time near the water and close to nature with supportive people around me. So, I took an opportunity to live, work, play, and finish graduate school in Hawai'i. And I went to counseling!
Getting the help I needed, taking risks and throwing myself into life, embracing all the ups and downs, It all really helped when I needed it most, and I hope that I can offer the same for you.
My work is inspired by nature
I chose “estuary” for the name of my practice because estuaries, including the low country salt marshes that we all know and love, remind me of what we actually do while in counseling. An estuary is like a dialogue between the land and the sea where something entirely new is created. Counseling too is very much a dialogue between two elements, in this case the counselor and client, where something entirely new is created. What is this new third thing exactly?
It is the therapeutic relationship. We get to create this unique and professional relationship through a dialogue about your life and experiences. In counseling you learn to have a more helpful dialogue with yourself, and I think that we all need some level of support and encouragement to engage in a productive dialogue with ourselves.